From the outside, digital product design often appears to be a linear, structured, and clearly defined process. A need emerges, a design is created, development follows, and the product is delivered to users. In reality, however, the process is rarely as clean or predictable as it seems in theory.

Design is not merely a production phase where aesthetic decisions are made. It is a strategic discipline that requires continuously balancing constraints, assumptions, stakeholder expectations, and real user behavior.

In this article, we will explore three fundamental realities frequently encountered in digital product design. We will also examine how user-centered decision-making can be sustained within these realities.

The Visible and Invisible Sides
of the Design Process

In theory, a design process is fairly straightforward. A request is received, the designer analyzes it, develops a solution, revisions are made, and the outcome is handed over to development.

In practice, however, the process is far more complex.

A designer is not simply someone who visualizes a request. A designer questions whether the request is valid, whether it addresses the real problem, and most importantly, whether it creates meaningful value for the user.

Every design process involves four key stakeholders:

• The individual or organization submitting the request
• The team defining the need
• The team responsible for the design
• And most importantly, the end user

These four perspectives rarely align perfectly. The design process is fundamentally about creating that alignment.

Design Processes Do Not Progress Linearly in Real Life

Digital product design rarely begins with a perfectly defined and comprehensive brief. At times there is detailed documentation, but in many cases there is only an idea or a high-level objective. Occasionally, even the problem itself is not clearly articulated before solutions start being discussed.

For this reason, the first step in the design process is not creating interfaces. It is developing a clear understanding of the problem. Strong products are built on well-defined problems.

The process does not move forward in a straight line. Feedback loops, technical constraints, and emerging insights continuously reshape decisions. Design is not a one-time deliverable. It is an iterative discovery process that evolves through learning and refinement.

Three Major Realities That
Shape Design Decisions

In digital product design, decisions are not always driven solely by user experience considerations. In many cases, three fundamental factors directly shape the process:

• Budget
• Time
• HIPPO (Organizational Hierarchy)

These factors are inevitable components of the design process.

Budget: The Invisible Constraint of Design

A design solution may offer the optimal user experience. However, its development cost can directly affect its feasibility. At this stage, the role of the designer extends beyond proposing solutions. It involves articulating the value behind those solutions.

It is just as important to discuss the cost of implementing a design decision as it is to highlight the opportunity cost of not implementing it.

For example, the business impact of design decisions can be made tangible through metrics such as:

• User churn rates
• Drop-off during task completion
• Declining conversion rates

When framed in this way, design is positioned not as an expense, but as a strategic investment.

Time: The Greatest Pressure on Design

Time pressure is one of the most common constraints in digital product design. Approaching deadlines often push designers to implement requests as quickly as possible. However, the objective of design is not merely to deliver on time, but to solve the right problem in the right way.

At this stage, the most critical skill is not stretching timelines, but defining scope accurately. Instead of attempting to solve everything at once, teams identify a Minimum Viable Product (MVP) that delivers the highest user value. This approach sharpens focus and allows the product to evolve iteratively through real user feedback.

At the same time, not every problem needs to be solved from scratch. Benchmark analyses, products that have addressed similar challenges, and established industry standards provide strong reference points. In recent years, AI-powered tools have also become valuable accelerators, particularly in generating initial drafts and rapidly evaluating alternative solutions.

As Parkinson’s Law suggests, the goal is not to expand the time allocated, but to focus on what truly matters. Speed does not imply superficiality. Advancing with a well-defined scope enables teams to make decisions that are both faster and more effective.

The HIPPO Effect: Does Data Speak, or Does Title?

In digital product design, decisions are not always driven by data, user needs, or product strategy. At times, the direction of a decision is shaped by the personal preference of the most senior person in the room. In the literature, this phenomenon is referred to as HIPPO, or the Highest Paid Person’s Opinion.

The HIPPO effect describes situations where an idea gains priority not because of its validity, but because of the position of the person who voices it. This may involve something as minor as a color preference, or it may extend to more significant decisions that directly influence the product’s flow and overall experience.

In such cases, the role of the designer is not to confront the decision outright, but to move the discussion onto the right foundation. The first step is to demonstrate that the perspective has been heard and respected. Design is not only about identifying the right solution; it is also about building trust and collaboration.

The next step is to shift the conversation from personal preference to a user-centered framework. User behavior insights, benchmark examples, usability testing results, and measurable data help ground decisions in objective criteria. This approach transforms a subjective opinion into a solution that genuinely serves the user.

The goal is not to reject an idea, but to create common ground where all stakeholders can align on what is best for both the product and its users. Strong products are shaped not by personal preferences, but by user realities.

The Most Critical Component of Design: Storytelling

In the design process, producing solutions is only part of the responsibility. Equally important is the ability to communicate those solutions effectively. Even the most well-crafted design cannot deliver its full value if the thinking behind it is not clearly articulated.

For designers, every presentation is, in essence, a process of persuasion. It is not enough to explain what has been designed. It is essential to clarify why it has been designed that way. Unless we can demonstrate the problem it solves, the value it creates for users, and why it is stronger than alternative approaches, the design remains merely an opinion.

Strong designs gain acceptance not only because they offer the right solution, but because the story behind that solution is conveyed with clarity and conviction.

The True Owner of Design: The User

Throughout the design process, multiple stakeholders are involved. Product teams, executives, business objectives, and technical constraints all influence design decisions. Yet at the end of this process, the true owner of the design is always the user.

As Don Norman emphasizes, what matters is not how we want users to behave, but how they actually behave. Alan Cooper’s perspective reinforces this principle clearly: the user is the ultimate decision-maker of the product.

For this reason, the purpose of design is not simply to fulfill incoming requests. The real objective is to understand user behavior and create the right experience accordingly.

Good design is not created “because it was requested.” It is created because it is demonstrably the right solution for the user. Strong digital products are built not on assumptions, but on user realities.